BRITISH MYSTERIES - Fergus Hume Collection: 21 Thriller Novels in One Volume. Fergus Hume

said the French at the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war,” interjected Philip, grimly, “but they made a mistake. What is your opinion, Colonel?”

      “I agree with Don Rafael,” replied Garibay, slowly “I am by no means inclined to undervalue our opponent. Xuarez is as cunning as Satan, and as ambitious. His first moves in this war have resulted to his own advantage; therefore I am not so confident of a speedy termination to this campaign as are these gentlemen. Fire-crackers, such as reading a decree will not frighten a man like Xuarez!”

      “Then you think this journey useless?” asked Jack, who was of much the same opinion himself.

      “Absolutely, Señors. I believe we are on the eve of a terrible struggle, and to whom will result the advantage I know not.”

      “If all the Junta were as faint-hearted as yourself and Don Rafael, we would yield without a blow,” said the Intendante, bitterly.

      “Without a blow,” from Velez, in the same tone! “Carambo!”

      “You are wrong, Señor,” cried the Colonel, with fiery earnestness, “I am not faint-hearted. I will fight against Xuarez to the last. But is it wise to scoff at this man as you are doing? I tell you he is a master-spirit, such as rises once in a century, and, as such, is all-powerful, even against the great power of the Republic. He is one of those men who change the destinies of nations. A Napoleon, a Garibaldi, a Washington. From my soul, Señores, I trust we shall win, and save the Republic; but it is as well to look on both sides of the question. Blind security is not wise. Por todos Santos, Señores,” cried Garibay, rising to his feet in his excitement, “see how this man has already succeeded. Acauhtzin, the most important town next to the capital, is in his hands, our fleet has gone over entirely to his side; and have you forgotten the treachery of Marina and Pepe. A full plan of the fortifications of Tlatonac is before him. If he can do this much, he can do more. Till the end, I shall support the Republic, and resist a possible Dictator; but do not sneer at Xuarez! I tell you he is a great man!”

      This was an unexampled outburst for the ordinarily calm Colonel, and he sank back in his chair with a look of agitation on his usually impassive face. The Intendante and Velez were for the moment impressed; yet, soon recovering their obstinate belief in the invulnerability of the Republic, would have replied, but that at this moment Don Rafael made his appearance with a small map.

      “Your pardon, Señores, that I have been so long!” apologised Rafael, sitting down promptly, and spreading out the map on his own and Philip’s knees. “Look, now, mis amigos, and I will tell you how this campaign will be conducted!”

      “How do you know, Señor? Are you in the confidence of Xuarez?”

      “I am a gentleman, no traitor!” replied Rafael, haughtily, to the insulting question of the Intendante. “I know something of Don Hypolito’s plans, because he spoke of them to Don José de Tejada. Before the revolt of the fleet, I was a visitor at the house of that gentleman, and so learned much. Had Don José known that I would remain true to the Republic, he would have been more cautious. As it was, he spoke sufficiently clearly to let me understand the broad outlines of the campaign as designed by Xuarez.”

      “Bueno!” said the Intendante, politely, “I ask your pardon, Don Rafael. And this plan.”

      “Behold!” said Rafael, tracing with his finger the various points; “here is Acauhtzin—there Tlatonac!—and at the extreme south you see Janjalla! This last town will be attacked first.”

      “And the reason?”

      “Carrai! can you not see, Señor Garibay? Between Tlatonac and Acauhtzin are nothing but mountains—no roads, no open spaces. All giant hills, terrible precipices, a few paths made by Indians, and inhospitable deserts, where the land happens to be flat for a few miles. How then can Xuarez convey his army to the capital in that direction?”

      “True, true! And most of his soldiers are dragoons.”

      “Certainly, he could attack Tlatonac with Indians who are used to their rugged country; but savages, as Xuarez well knows, can do little or nothing against trained troops. In conjunction with his own army, they can do something; but, alone, they are almost useless. Bueno! You see he, will not attack from the north.”

      “But why attack Janjalla instead of Tlatonac?” asked Tim, who was anxiously following this discussion, pencil and note-book in hand.

      “Look to the south,” replied Don Rafael, promptly. “No mountains between Janjalla and Tlatonac—nothing but rich plains—broad spaces on which armies can manœuvre. Now, if Xuarez conveys his troops by the war-ships south to Janjalla, he can bombard and perhaps take that city.”

      “I, the Intendante, deny that!”

      “Impossible to take Janjalla,” echoed Velez, nodding his head wisely.

      Rafael shrugged his shoulders. It was next to impossible to argue with these obstinate people who would only look at one side of the question.

      “We will grant that Janjalla falls into the power of Xuarez,” said Garibay, impatiently; “and afterwards?”

      “Afterwards,” resumed the young man, “Xuarez will garrison the town, and concentrate all his troops there.”

      “Thus leaving Acauhtzin open to attack,” said Jack, satirically.

      “By no means. The war-ships will prevent our troops getting to that town. We cannot get to it by land, and the sea will be blockaded by the rebel fleet.”

      “Unless the torpederas——”

      “True! unless the torpederas arrive,” replied Rafael significantly; “but it is doubtful as to whether the Junta or Xuarez will get them. However, I am only supposing all these things being in favour of the Opposidores.”

      “Bueno! We will look at the matter from Don Hypolito’s point of view,” said Philip, quietly. “His troops are concentrated at Janjalla. Between that town and Tlatonac are open plains—and,” added Philip, dryly, “the armies of the Republic!”

      “Certainly. But let us presume, for the sake of argument, that Xuarez makes three simultaneous attacks. With his regular army on the plains, with the Indians from the north on Tlatonac—and from the sea by a bombardment from the war-ships.”

      “Dios!” muttered Garibay, biting his fingers; “that man is a general.”

      “The troops of the Republic will conquer everywhere,” said Don Alonzo, gravely.

      “Everywhere!” repeated his umbra.

      “It is to be hoped so, Señores,” said Tim, significantly, “the Republic will need all the help she can get to defend herself in three places at once.”

      “In my opinion,” observed Rafael, calmly, “there is only one way to end the war.”

      “And that is?”

      “By a naval victory. The Junta must secure the torpederas. We must have more war-ships, and cripple Don Hypolito’s power on the sea. Then he will be unable to convey his troops to Janjalla—unable to bombard Tlatonac, and remain shut up in Acauhtzin, where we can crush him at our leisure.”

      Garibay disagreed with this view of the matter, and accused Rafael of looking solely at the matter from a naval point of view. A hot discussion ensued, in which every possible attack, repulse, strategy, and battle, was talked over far into the night. Philip and Jack grew weary of this incessant argument, and slipped down to the saloon, where they chatted about Dolores. Overhead they heard the hot-tempered Spaniards arguing fiercely, and several times thought they would come to blows so warm grew the discussion.

      “Egad, Jack! I’m glad this voyage ends to-morrow,” said Philip, as they turned in, “or they will certainly murder one another.”

      A grunt was Jack’s unsatisfactory reply. He was, almost asleep, and already dreaming of rescuing Dolores